I interviewed Dr. Francis Collins—a physician-scientist who led the international Human Genome Project, which successfully sequenced all three billion letters of the human genome, and later served three U.S. presidents as director of the National Institutes of Health—about his book The Road to Wisdom.
We discuss his journey from materialism to Christian faith, why wisdom requires humility and listening, and how we can seek truth across deep differences. Dr. Collins also explains how to build a “mental immune system” against misinformation, restore trust in science, and find meaning beyond a purely material view of life. We close with his new initiative, Discovery Lives in Us.
**
Francis Collins is a physician-scientist. Under his direction, the Human Genome Project produced the
first finished sequence of the human DNA instruction book in 2003. From 2009 to 2021, Collins served
under three Presidents as the Director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the largest supporter of
biomedical research in the world. His contributions to science, medicine, and society have been
recognized by the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of Science, and the Templeton
Prize. His most recent book is The Road To Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust (Little, Brown
and Worthy, 2024; see francisscollins.com). He is the founder of a new initiative called Discovery Lives in
Us that aims to collect and distribute hundreds of authentic patient narratives about the value of
medical research.
**
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Wisdom in a polarized world
01:18 Francis Collins’ first “inner calling”
04:02 When science reached its limits
06:00 The patient who challenged his worldview
08:45 From materialism to Christian faith
09:43 Why Francis Collins wrote The Road to Wisdom
11:30 Why America feels so divided
13:40 Learning from people you disagree with
15:30 Building a “mental immune system”
17:20 How do we know whom to trust?
19:00 What COVID taught Francis Collins
21:10 Listening without becoming defensive
23:00 Young adults, meaning, and materialism
24:15 Can science and faith work together?
26:10 DNA, the Big Bang, and evidence for God
30:10 Beauty, morality, and transcendence
33:10 Why young people are leaving the church
34:45 Do science and faith really conflict?
37:10 Finding community and purpose
39:20 Viktor Frankl and the search for meaning
40:00 Can authentic faith help heal society?
40:40 What gives Francis Collins hope?
42:20 Restoring trust in science
43:05 Discovery Lives in Us
44:00 Final thoughts
EPISODE LINKS
The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+Road+to+Wisdom+Francis+Collins
The Language of God
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+Language+of+God+Francis+Collins
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Mere+Christianity+C.S.+Lewis
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Man%27s+Search+for+Meaning+Viktor+Frankl
BioLogos
https://biologos.org
Braver Angels
https://braverangels.org
Discovery Lives in Us
https://discoverylivesinus.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drfranciscollins/
PODCAST LINKS
Website: www.innercalling.org
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Dr. Victoria Ranade: www.victoriaranade.com
IG: https://www.instagram.com/drvictoriaranade
Hope+Wellness: https://www.hope-wellness.com
Email: drvictoria@innercalling.org
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